Baby V (Chianti Kisses #1) (33 page)

I feel a pang in my heart, but manage to wait until I am safely behind Theres
a’
s door to let my frustration out, kicking the base of the nearest wall. This ca
n’
t be happening. I pace the length of her kitchen, running through the possible scenari
o’
s in my mind.

Theresa had hinted that there had been a person she had fooled around with when she was giving me pointers on my own dating life. I know from the reaction she had to E.J. During the board meeting a while back that she loathes him, and from what Jimmy had just told me downstairs, I think its pretty safe to assume that they did
n’
t part on good terms. What was that, that she said to me at the board meeting?...
H
e’
ll do anything to get to Do
m…
He stoops low to do it, too.

E.J. used Theresa to get to Dom. But how? No way in hell would Theresa ever knowingly help him take down her family... she must not know whatever E.J. is doing.

Think, V,... think!

No one outside the five of us knew...
Dom told me that every time he would change shipments or deliveries he would only tell the four other board members... all our siblings. So, he would tell Theresa of the new itineraries.... and probably the purchase price information for the Miami deal that was leaked, too.

Oh my God. The night Theresa and I were supposed to meet for dinner. The night E.J. Stopped by my table and Theresa went to the wrong restaurant.
I’
m sure that has something to do with all this, too.

I
t’
s all starting to add up. I grab Theres
a’
s handbag from the countertop and lock her apartment behind me.

~*~

Once in privacy of my car, I mentally go through the long laundry list of possibilities. If E.J. was spending time with Theresa in her apartment, doing God knows what... I fight the sudden urge to regurgitate my lunch, then he had access to her things.

Dom had sent any business related schedule changes to her secure company email address, but I had sent the dinner plans to her personal email. I know for a fact that both accounts do not share the same password, from when the I.T. department set up my own company email. So I doubt he has the passwords to all of her accounts, checking each one.

I also know that the email I had sent her was sent while she was at the office, whereas Dom had admittedly sent things after hours, when she was most likely home. So i
t’
s not one particular computer that h
e’
s hacking into.

I rummage through her bag and find both her smartphone and her tablet. OK. So she has two devices, and
I’
m sure she checks her emails on both of them. I close my eyes tight, pinching the bridge of my nose to magically clear my mind of all the clutter interfering with my rationalizations.

The night we were sent to different meeting places on opposite sides of the city she had only her small evening bag. There would have been no room in it to house her tablet. She must have only been carrying her phone.

E.J. is spying through her phone!!!

I eye the phone suspiciously in my hands. I ca
n’
t decide how cautious to be, so I place it back into her handbag and walk it around to my trunk, where I lock it inside. I waste no time in using my own phone to return dial the number she called me from earlier.

It rings twice, before a male voice answers,
 “
This is Josh
.
”

This is going to sound crazy weird to him,
I’
m sure.
 “
Hi, Josh... This is V, Theres
a’
s friend. I need to speak to her. I
t’
s extremely important
.
”

He immediately responds,
 “
Sure, hold on... sh
e’
s right here
.
”

“
Hello
?
”
 
She sounds confused.

“
Theresa! Listen, I do
n’
t want you to say anything other than the password to your phone and email. I
t’
s more important than yo
u’
ll ever know and
I’
ll explain everything when I see you tonight, but until then I just need your phone password, and email password. And no matter what.... do
n’
t check those accounts from any other source
.
”

There is a momentary pause, but she gives up the information.

“
Thanks! I swear
I’
ll fill you in tonight. And Theresa... he sounds cute
.
”
 
I hang up.

My next call is to Dom.

“
Babe, where are you? The band is setting up and they need to know where you want the speakers
,
”
 
he informs me. The event seems so trivial to me right now, as I concentrate on the mystery unfolding itself quite literally in my lap.

“
I need you to send a bogus company email from your account only to Theres
a’
s about a huge shipment tonight at the storage docks in Jersey. Make sure you mention that it is vulnerable due to the lack of insurance thresholds and it is critical that it be received in a timely manner. Add something about this being just the thing that can save ATH from falling in the red. Only Theresa though, do
n’
t send the message to anyone else
.
”

I hear rustling on the far end of the phone, and Dom grits through his teeth,
 “
V, what is going on
?
”

I shake my head to myself as cars whiz by,
 “
I think I figured out how things have been getting leaked
.
”

I hear anger in his voice now.
“
Wha
t’
s this got to do with my sister?
,
” h
e’
s obviously worried.

I do the best I can to calm him without giving away too much,
 “
Nothing that sh
e’
s aware of. Just please trust me and send it. Wait like ten minutes though, OK
?
”

I hear the struggle in his voice.
“
I want you to tell me exactly wha
t’
s going on, V! What are you getting yourself into?
!
”

I swallow hard
,“
Trust me, Dom.
I’
ll be there in a couple of hours
.
”

I hang up the phone with no guarantee h
e’
ll send his message, only hope that h
e’
ll trust me like he asks me to trust him.

Opening my trunk, I withdraw Theres
a’
s bag and wait for a safe break in oncoming traffic to walk over to my drive
r’
s side door and enter my car. I use Theres
a’
s phone, typing in her six digit security code. The screen magically morphs into a picture of a beachside cabana and a crystal blue lagoon. I select the icon for her AOL email app and enter yet another security passcode.

Once access is granted to her personal email account, I resist the urge to scroll through her private messages. I compose a new email to send to my own account under the guise that i
t’
s in fact from Theresa, detailing how she feels guilty about not telling me about a secret relationship she had months back, and how she need to come clean even though she knows her brother will be upset with her. I type out that she will tell me all about this mystery boyfriend tonight at the event. I hit send.

I
t’
s done.

Ther
e’
s only one way to know for sure if my plan worked. We have to wait.

~*~

I pull my car into the gravel drive of the vineyard. Almost all of the parking spaces are filled with delivery trucks and vendors unloading supplies. I maneuver around them and park at the far end of the staff lot, next to Do
m’
s car.

I can see the large white party tent being erected on the back lawn, with dozens of workers buzzing about setting up tables, lights, and chairs. I check my watch, pleased to see there is still about four hours before guests will begin to arrive.

“
What the hell took you so long
!
”
 
I whirl around to see Dom approaching.

His tone caught the attention of several passers-by, probably likening it to a lovers quarrel. I smile self consciously at them.

“
Would you lower your voice, please
?
”
 
I speak under my breath as Dom enters earshot.

He grabs my arm, pulling me close,
 “
You cannot call me and tell me those things and expect me not to worry, V. For all I know, you could be in some deep shit
.
”

“I’
m fine... I promise. Can we go somewhere to talk... I have a lot to tell you..
.
”

~*~

Dom stands at top of the stairs, fully dressed in his tuxedo, waiting for us. Theresa and I were helping each other put the final touches on our evening gowns, and true to form, I am running late. Theresa rushes by her Dom, eager to meet her date downstairs in the living room. With her no longer obstructing my view of her brother, I can fully take in the clean lines and muscular silhouette of his form. He looks delicious. And handsomely beautiful.

“
Babe... you look breathtaking
.
”
 
he whispers.

I shyly look away, hiding my blossoming cheeks.

He takes hold of my chin and steers me back to look him in those dark-roast eyes of his.
 “
You... are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen
,
” he kisses my forehead,
 “
and I am the luckiest guy alive
.
”

He kisses my lips, the gloss acting as a lubricant between us. It feels good to be in his arms again, to be with him like this. I
t’
s been an intense couple of days, with finding out my famil
y’
s legacy is a sham.

I hold us still, wanting to savor the moment before our little cocoon is burst. Our hands find each others, and interlace, strengthening their hold. The gaggle of voices seems to grow from the first floor. Our entire family has readied themselves for the event, eager to leave for the festivities.

This summerhouse may have been one of the wisest purchases Dom has made, as each little group of our extended clan has taken a liking to it. Nonna has already planted her first crop of vegetables in the newly erected garden. I
t’
s a little tight with all of us staying under one roof tonight, but we find a way to manage.

Dom holds out his crooked arm, bent in chivalry,
 “
Shall we
?
”

I smile and take what he is so nobly offering,
 “
We shall
.
”

~*~

The endless line of people arriving stretches out into the parking lot, as each stop to greet Dom and I at the entrance to the vineyard. Every face is familiar to either him or me, and we try to make small talk as they pass through.

“
V!
,
” a sweet young voice calls from the doorway, running into my arms. Tricia is beaming at finding me and
I’
m grinning from her enthusiasm.

I hug her tightly,
 “
Hey kiddo! You look so pretty in your dress
!
”
 
I hold up my hand to twirl her around ballerina-style. She obliges me and the crowd claps for her.

“
Thanks,V. Mom took me shopping for a new dress for tonight. She said she wanted me to look extra pretty for tonight, because it was special. But, no one can look as pretty as you do
,
”
 
the little girl inspects my own dress.